Twice Bitten, Once Shy: Confessions of a Fake Psychic Detective #5

Chapter 16

Somnambulism

I don't remember inviting any of you people into my cabin.

"You mind telling me what in God's name is going on?" Rev. Cash says a beat before Zandra can ask him the same question.

The gun in question rests on the Murphy bed. It's a Beretta Bobcat.

Cherry Peach's pistol.

Zandra spots it the same time Captain Mel does. The sound of an attendee or a crew member approaching from down the hallway forces them both, and Ivy, into Cabin 27.

The cabin feels cramped for a single person, much less six. Ivy and pDano® shuffle into the open bathroom so they don't need to take turns breathing.

"I wondered that when you weren't where you were supposed to be," Zandra says to Rev. Cash. Then to Cherry Peach, "How lucky of you to find your missing gun."

Cherry Peach, arms and legs crossed on the floor, sneers at Zandra. "The reverend told me about Aaron, but don't try to pin it on me. We found the gun in your room."

What?

Zandra's eyes travel from the Murphy bed up to the wall. Someone removed the vent, leaving a square hole. The sight injures the part of her brain that would come up with a response.

"Yeah, your door was unlocked, Zandra. We just came in, started looking around," pDano® says from the bathroom.

Unlocked?

In a normal situation, Zandra would "read" the room, searching for tells that someone is lying. She's surrounded by screaming body language, but she can't hear any of it. Not even the autopilot in her subconscious can deliver anything useful.

Captain Mel fills in Zandra's blanks. "Let me get this straight. The preacher and Dan-trademark were supposed to keep Peaches in her cabin, because the psychic lady pegged her as the quarterback's killer. The preacher let this all slip to Peaches, and then the three of you went into this here cabin, correct?"

"That's correct," Rev. Cash says.

"And what made you think to go into Cabin 27?" Captain Mel says.

"We were walking by and saw the door open."

"And you did so willingly?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Just making sure no one here is a hostage," Captain Mel says.

"Do I look like a hostage?" Cherry Peach says from the floor.

"Frankly, Peaches, I figured you'd be the hostage taker," Captain Mel says.

Ivy butts in from the bathroom. "What about the scratch marks on the walls in the hallway?"

"Ask Zandra," Cherry Peach says with a snort.

Can't blame her for being bitter about me accusing her of murder. I still could be right about that, though.

"I'm not sure that's important," Zandra says. She leans against the wall to keep from tipping over. Stress isn't good for her ankle.

"Really? Because I think it's pretty damn important," Cherry Peach says and rises to her feet. "You do a lot in your sleep, don't you, Zandra? With weapons?"

There are too many eyes on me to not tell the truth. Maybe obfuscating the answer will get them confused enough to give me an opening to regain control.

Fuck, I hate not being in control.

"Somnambulism," Zandra says.

"What?" Ivy says.